Native relations are fine, but collect taxes, say retailers

There’s already a response to this morning’s first hearing before the Senate’s new committee on State-Native American Relations, which Casey was at.

That would be from non-Indian tobacco retailers who took the event as an opportunity to keep pushing for tax collection of cigarettes sold by Native Americans.

Following hearings today before the Senate Standing Committee on State-Native American Relations, The Enforce the Law, Collect the Tax Coalition applauds efforts by the state to pursue constructive dialogue with Native American nations on matters of common concern. The Coalition again urged the Cuomo administration to fully enforce the State’s cigarette tax laws, including on cigarettes manufactured by tribal manufacturers.

Jim Calvin, President of the New York Association of Convenience Stores said, “Allowing tribal retailers to sell untaxed tribally-manufactured cigarettes into New York commerce makes no sense – it drains much-needed state revenues, hurts honest retailers who play by the rules, and places further strains on the men and women in law enforcement who are confronted by the massive trade in illegal cigarettes.”

In the aftermath of last July’s federal and state court decisions upholding the state’s power to collect cigarettes sold through reservation outlets to non-tribal members, some tribal sellers have continued to sell untaxed and unstamped cigarettes manufactured by tribal entities, many located in other states or in Canada. The Cuomo Administration noted at that time of these decisions that that the law clearly allows the State to collect taxes on Native American manufactured cigarettes no less so than other brands sold to non-tribal purchasers.

Calvin added, “We hope the Senate continues to support the effort to collect these taxes – regardless of who manufactures them – because our state can ill afford to lose the jobs and hundreds of millions in legitimate tax revenue that will be caused by unchecked sales of these cigarettes.”